SCENE:  THE EXODUS


	The heat was oppressive.  Taka was standing on the 
promontory of Pride Rock to catch a slight breeze.  It had not 
rained in weeks, and the sun had cruelly scorched the ground.  It 
was as if Aiheu himself had been angry with affairs and decided to 
show it. Rafiki watched the land dry up, but he was confined and 
could only rarely intercess for a few drops.  The waterhole was 
just a muddy little remnant in the middle of the cracked, dry 
plain.  It was patronized by elephants, who were not overly afraid 
of lions.  They trampled the mud into the water and left it almost 
unsuitable for drinking.
	Khemoki, Incosi of the Zebra'ha, led his people in for a 
drink from the shrinking pool.  Filling the view were a series of 
elephant backsides forming an unbroken wall.
	"Ahem!" Khemoki said.  He waited a moment longer.  "Ahem!!!"
	There was no response.
	He tapped with his hoof impatiently, then nudged one of the 
backsides.  "Madam, do you think you could move your billious grey 
carcass and let me drink??"
	The elephant stirred, but when she looked around her 
expression was anything but helpful.
	"Put a cork in it, sweetcheeks."
	"I say!"  He looked around in a huff.  "Whinny, old girl, 
did you hear that?  We don't have to stand here and be insulted!  
We can jolly well find us another water hole out of this God-
forsaken neighborhood."
	"Hear hear," one of the zebras cried.  "Good show, Milord."
	The Pride Lands were desolate.  The songs of birds had long 
since gone from the trees.  What few animals still trudged across 
the parched grassland stirred up dust in their wake.  Vultures 
cruised the skies in search of prey where eagles and flamingos 
once soared.  And still it did not rain.  There were no clouds.  
There was no hope.
	Taka waited for news from Gopa the stork.  Gopa had none of 
the charm or polish of Zazu, but he was extremely thorough.
	When the large bird arrived with all the grace of a wounded 
flamingo, he bowed and said, "Sire, the Zebra'ha, have left the 
Pride Lands.  The Incosi decided that grazing is better to the 
north, and besides it's too dangerous with the hyenas and lions 
together.  To be precise, Khemoki called them `That demmed 
rabble.'"
	"Didn't you try to stop them??"
	"No, Sire.  I only report the news, I don't make it."
	Yet another irritating fowl had made Taka's short list.  
"One of these days," he thought, "I'm going to wring that long 
neck of his."
	No more zebras.  That joined with the fact that the 
Wildebeests were gone and the antelopes had skipped out left the 
land in a sorry shape.
	Beesa was out in the hot sun of midday with some other 
lionesses.  They were risking their life with each stone they 
overturned with their paws, hoping to capture a lizard or snake 
that may hold body and soul together.  Isha, panting, looked up 
into the cloudless sky.  The sun beamed back with a vengeance.  
"Aiheu, why have you forsaken us?  I think I'm going mad."
	The insufferable heat made the image of distant trees ripple 
like reflections in a pond.  When the wind did blow, it stirred up 
dust and made little difference in the feeling of discomfort.
	Beesa heard something rattle in the grass.  She froze, held 
up her paw, crouched and sprang.  "Ow!"  She bit at the large rat 
that had latched on to her paw.  Only when its head was crushed in 
her powerful jaws could she work the sharp incisors out of her 
flesh.
	"Look," Isha said.  "Sis caught something!  It's a big rat.  
Look how big it is!"
	"Correction," Beesa said.  "It caught me."
	"Still, it's big enough for you--ahem--and maybe a lucky 
relative?"
	"Yes, Isha.  Some lucky relative like my daughter.  She gets 
the whole thing."
	Uzuri said, "Beesa, I've always thought of you as a second 
mother.  Would you adopt me?"
	"Me too," Isha said.  "The least you could have done was eat 
it yourself.  Then I could have called you selfish and resented 
you."
	Beesa licked her paw to clean the wound.  Then she took up 
the rat and trotted back toward her home on Pride Rock.  Her paw 
was not very sore.  If the gods were with her, her hunting would 
not be affected.
	Lisani saw her mother and ran to meet her.
	"What'cha got?"
	"It's a rat," Beesa said proudly.  "It's all yours."
	"Ewww!  A rat!"
	"You should be glad to get it.  The little bugger tried to 
eat me first."  Beesa sighed and said, "Look, if you promise to 
eat some of it, I'll make a special effort tonight to get you 
something really nice, OK?"
	"OK, I'll try."  She tried a bite, found it was not so bad, 
then famished fell on the rest of it.  When she finished, there 
was nothing but some skin and bones left.  "Mom, I wouldn't even 
mind another rat right now.  I'm still hungry."
	"I know, dear."  She began to groom her little girl.  "Just 
remember, when things can't get worse, they can only get better."


SCENE:  THE WAGES OF SIN


	Uzuri sat quietly, trying to ignore the constant gnawing in 
her stomach as she watched the progress of the setting sun. As the 
top of the crimson disk sank below the level of the treetops, she 
rose and padded over to Isha.
	"Gather the party." She looked at the sky hopefully.  "We'll 
try again tonight.  Maybe Aiheu will yet show us mercy."
	The younger lioness shook her head as she stood. "Not as 
long as that fool makes us stay here," Isha growled.
	"Shh! I'm not sure if that's treason or blasphemy, but hold 
your tongue.  Taka's spies are everywhere!"
	"Treason or not, it's the truth." She trudged away slowly, 
her tail dragging dejectedly in the dust as she headed off to 
rouse the other lionesses; it was time to hunt.
	Uzuri sighed as she stared after her. The trouble was that 
Isha was right.  Taka's refusal to allow the lions to leave Pride 
Rock and seek out more fruitful hunting grounds was going to be 
the death of them. Already some of them were beginning to show 
signs of emaciation, their ribs standing out clearly against their 
pelts, once sleek and shiny but now dull and drab from the lack of 
nutrition.  Shaking her head despairingly, she rose and crossed 
over to where the others now stood assembled.
	Sarafina rose to greet her.  "Uzuri," she whispered 
urgently.  "I've got to talk to you."
	"Of course." She looked at her curiously. "What is it, 
Fini?"
	"We can't go on like this much longer. Why are we getting 
ready to hunt?"
	"You want to eat, don't you?"
	Sarafina snorted. "Of course, but I don't want to die for my 
supper.  All we found on our patrol this morning was a small herd 
of elephants.  You more than anyone should know how hard it is to 
cut a calf out of the herd and put it down."
	"We don't have to worry about that," Uzuri said firmly. "To 
hunt elephants is corban, by my own decree."
	Sarafina looked at her for a long moment. "Then what are we 
left with? Picking off the rare straggler who happens to come 
wandering through?  We can't depend on that."
	Uzuri sighed deeply. "I know," she said tiredly. The lack of 
food was beginning to take its toll on her; her energy waned more 
and more each day.  "So what do YOU suggest?"
	"Ajenti!" Sarafina called.  "Come here a moment.  Tell Uzuri 
what you told me last night."
	Ajenti grinned. "I had the most wonderful idea while we were 
out scouting a few days ago."  She broke off, coughing raggedly.
	"By the way, I don't want you coming with us tonight," Uzuri 
said worriedly. "You sound terrible."
	"I do?  Great!"  Ajenti snickered at the look on Uzuri's 
face.  "You see, I've been faking that cough for the past couple 
of days."
	"Why?"
	"I'm going to play sick and stay here while you go hunting. 
I plan to sneak out a couple of hours after high moon."
	"Just where do you think you can go?" Uzuri asked.  "There's 
nothing to eat for miles around."
	"I'm not going for food, I'm going for help.  I'm going to 
try to get past those idiot hyenas and see Rafiki."  Her face 
sobered.  "Maybe he can ask the gods to help us; Taka certainly 
isn't going to."
	Uzuri sucked in a sharp breath at the audacity of this.  "Do 
you know what will happen to you if you get caught?  What about 
the guards?  How are you planning to get past them?"
	Ajenti said, "Maybe if I'm sick enough, I can get an 
appointment to see Rafiki.  I'm one of the better hunters if I say 
so myself, and Taka would do well not to lose me."
	Taka's sharp voice cut through the air. "If you're quite 
done chatting, ladies, it's well past sundown.  You're late for 
the hunt."
	Uzuri raised her voice.  "Yes, Sire."  Lowering it to a 
hoarse whisper, she looked at Ajenti.  "Stay here, for now.  
Pretend you're sick, like you've been doing, but don't leave 
tonight.  We'll discuss this when we get back."
	Ajenti bowed her head. "Yes, ma'am."
	Uzuri and Sarafina joined the other lionesses who milled 
about restlessly, anxious to begin the hunt.  After checking that 
everyone was present, she led the group in to Taka's cave.  The 
King lay in the threshold, grooming himself silently as they 
approached.  Clearing her throat, she said, "Milord, we ask for 
your blessing."
	Taka looked up and nodded.  "Aiheu provides.  Thanks be to 
Aiheu."
	"Aiheu provides," she responded.  She turned to leave, but 
stopped. "Taka, why do we continue this farce?  There is no food 
to be found!  I implore you, let us leave here and find better 
hunting grounds."
	He looked up sharply. "No!  We will remain here.  This 
drought will not last much longer.  The seer has foretold it."
	"If we don't leave soon, the jackals will glut themselves on 
lion meat!"  Uzuri humbled herself before him.  "Taka, please 
reconsider.  Do you think your father would have taken the word of 
a seer over the cries of his people?"
	"I said we stay!" he snarled.  "You overstep your authority, 
hunt mistress.  I will NOT be compared with my father, Lord rest 
his soul.  Now be off before the prey escapes."
	"Yes, Sire," she said through gritted teeth. She turned and 
led the group away.
	The young of the elephants were the subject of repeated 
near-suicide attacks by lionesses because there was little else to 
eat.  Finally over the loud protests of the other lionesses, Uzuri 
had forbidden attempts on them because it was a senseless risk.  
Once in a while, a great while, an animal would pass through the 
Pride Lands bound elsewhere and they would catch it.  Even when 
they were lucky enough to bring down a large animal, it proved 
almost not worth the trouble because the hyenas would move in.
	Hyenas were not welcome on the hunt, for they were not as 
skilled as lions.  They chatted too much-something Uzuri could not 
tolerate.  Not that any of the hyenas did much hunting anyhow.  
One of the major topics of conversation as they gathered for the 
hunt used to be how to get rid of the hyenas.  That was until they 
began to suspect spies from Shenzi were everywhere, and it was not 
a foolish suspicion.  One of them, Skulk, was particularly quiet 
on his feet.  
	Hours later, the moon's pale light painted a small group of 
elephants.  Beesa's pulse raced as she saw a youngster that had 
strayed too far from the group.  Gauging the distance, she decided 
that she might just be able to cut it off and out of the herd.  
She began to drool at the thought.  Gods, all that meat...the 
pride might be able to get a halfway decent meal after all.  She 
started to move in, but paused, uncertain, remembering Uzuri's 
warning.  Then the sight of her daughter gnawing on the scrawny 
carcass of that hideous rat sprang unbidden into her mind.  Beesa 
had been shocked as she realized she could easily count her 
daughter's ribs simply by looking at her side.  That decided her.
	"Aiheu provides," she whispered.  Easing forward through the 
dying grass, she slowly began to stalk the young elephant. 
	Uzuri had already sighted the elephants a few moments 
earlier.  She began to softly call out orders, shifting the 
inverted V pattern of their normal sweep for prey to a left 
oblique, herself at the head with the others staggered out on the 
opposite side away from the elephants.  She turned her head, 
intending to shift Beesa over into the trail spot, and stared at 
the empty grass where a lioness should have been.  "Beesa?"
	Malaika gasped.  "Oh gods, Uzuri, look!"
	Uzuri's head whipped around, looking over at the spot where 
Malaika was staring, open-mouthed.  "What the...."
	There was an elephant cow coming up quietly behind Beesa.   
Uzuri shouted, "Beesa!  Look out!"
	Beesa turned around too late, her eyes widening as she saw 
the elephant charge.  She shrieked as the elephant tossed the 
lioness's four hundred pounds into the air like a rag doll, then 
brought down her front feet on her with a snapping sound.
	"Close ranks!" Uzuri shouted.  The lionesses ran to Beesa 
and formed a circle around her, driving back the elephant.  
Trumpeting loudly, the cow gathered her calf to her side and 
joined the herd as it began to lumber away cautiously.
	"I'm stove through," Beesa gasped.  "Isha?"
	"Beesa?" 
	"Isha!"
	"I'm here, honey!"  Isha drew near to listen to her sister's 
faint words.  
	"Take care of my Lisani.  Promise me."
	"I will, honey."  Tears flooded Isha's eyes.  She nuzzled 
Beesa and kissed her.  "I promise.  I love you, Beesa.  Pray for 
me."
	"I will, sis."
	"Oh Beesa, why did you do it?"
	"I promised."  Her face contorted in pain.  "You must bring 
Lisani something special.  Tell her it's from me."  She gasped.  
Blood began to drain from her mouth.  "Isha?"
	"I'm still here."
	Slowly, painfully, Beesa raised her paw and caressed Isha's 
cheek.  "Save yourself."  Her arm fell as her last breath went out 
in a long sigh.
	"Oh gods!"  Isha looked at the body with its horrible 
wounds.  "My sister," she stammered.  "She's dead.  What are we 
going to tell Lisani?"  She glanced from face to face at each of 
the lionesses.  "Why did that elephant have to kill her?  Why?  
Why??"
	The lionesses stood silently for a moment, unwilling to take 
the next step which they knew was necessary.  Finally, Uzuri 
stepped forward.  She bent down and gently kissed Beesa's cheek.  
"Aiheu abamami."  A tear rolled her face and splashed silently on 
Beesa's fur.  "Pray for me, Beesa."
	She retreated as Malaika stepped forward, followed by 
Sarabi.  One by one, Beesa's hunt sisters came forward to bid her 
farewell.  Finally, only Isha remained.  The lioness stood 
immobile, looking down at her sister's body.  She bent to kiss her 
cheek, but crumpled, sobbing, beside the still form.  "Oh gods!"  
She tilted her head up and roared at the sky, giving vent to her 
grief as the other lionesses joined in, the eerie sound echoing 
back from the cliffs.
	Back at Pride Rock, the hyenas heard the cry.  They came to 
Taka for an explanation, but he had none.  "It doesn't sound 
good," he said.
	Finally, the lionesses came trailing in slowly, eyes cast 
down and filled with tears.  Taka looked from one to another 
uncertainly as they approached.
	"Uzuri?  What's wrong?  I heard a cry."
	Uzuri looked at him crossly.  "Count us, Your Majesty.  What 
do YOU think?"  She shouldered past him roughly and sat down, her 
face quivering as she fought for control.
	Lisani came gamboling up to the hunting party.  She butted 
up against Isha, purring happily as she greeted her aunt.  "Isha, 
where's Mom?  What did she get for me?  A zebra?"  Her face began 
to drop.  "Another rat?"  She saw Isha's tears.  "Nothing at all?"
	Isha's jaw trembled.  "Lisani, Honey Tree, I want you to be 
a brave little girl.  Very brave.  Your mother...."  She began to 
sob.  "You're going to stay with me now."
	Lisani stared as she took in the pained expression on her 
aunt's face.  Looking around, she saw it mirrored on the others as 
they sat, staring at nothing.
	"Is she hurt?"  She went to Uzuri.  "Aunt Uzuri, what's 
wrong??"
	"Oh my poor baby!"
	Suddenly realizing that the worst had happened, she ran back 
to Isha and huddled against her warm body, bursting into tears.  
"I want my mommy!" she shrieked.  "Aunt Isha, I want my mommy!"  
Isha held her close with a paw.  "We all want your mommy, but 
she's gone."
	Kh'tel, one of the hyenas asked, "Am I to take that poor 
Beesa is dead?"
	"You ARE to take it," Uzuri said sternly.  
	"Well then, the body is corban for a moon.  That is the 
duration, isn't it?"  With barely suppressed excitement, he said, 
"Pray tell, where is the body?  We wouldn't want to trespass."
	Uzuri showed her fangs.  "You sure wouldn't!  `Cause if you 
touch her, you will be our next meal!"
	"Your Majesty," Kh'tel protested.  "I merely tried to follow 
leonine custom.  I resent these vile accusations."
	"I'll show you vile accusations!"  In a moment, Uzuri sprang 
on on the hyena, pinning him to the ground.  Other hyenas moved 
closer, threatening, but she barked, "Come one step closer and 
I'll kill him!"
	"I forbid you to hurt him," Taka shouted.  "Let him go!"
	"Beesa is dead, and it's all his fault!  Him and his kind!  
He doesn't touch her.  Let the jackals have their fill, but I'll 
kill the first hyena that touches her!"
	"I know you're upset," Taka said.  "I'm sure you know you're 
overreacting here.  We don't want a war, now, do we?"
	Hyenas glared at her.  Lionesses glared at the hyenas.  It 
was a tinderbox just waiting to burst into flame.
	"Let him go," Taka said sternly.  "I'd hate to have to MAKE 
you let him go."
	"You mean just you and I?  One-on-one with no outside 
interference?"  Uzuri had a fierce light in her eyes that froze 
Taka's blood.  Clearly she could make good on her threat.  "Are 
those your terms, Sire?"
	Taka was clearly at a disadvantage.  He squirmed inside, 
trying to think of something, anything, he could say and not live 
to regret.
	Elanna said, "For the sake of the Gods, you two, concede the 
point.  Let the hyena go, Uzuri.  In return my husband will not 
punish you."  She looked at Taka and half smiled.  "Tell her 
you'll let her go, dear.  She's reasonable."
	Taka nodded.  "Yes, yes.  Elanna speaks for me.  We're all 
friends here.  We just have our misunderstandings."  He stared at 
Uzuri.  "Don't we, my dear?"
	"Yes, Sire."  She glared down at the still-trapped hyena and 
said, "We're all friends here."  She kissed the hyena right on the 
end of the nose with a long, wet, drooling lick that made him gasp 
and sputter.  "Mmmmm.  Don't try to eat things that bite back, 
Hon.  You might get invited to dinner."
	When Kh'tel was released, he ran in blind panic from the 
cave, wiping his nose in the grass and trembling.




SCENE:  MOST WONDERFUL OF CALAMITIES


	Taka's espousal of Elanna had come when he was supposedly 
mourning his brother and Simba.  But one day there came the most 
wonderful and yet frightening change in him.  He came in to see 
Elanna as she lay in the cool of the cave.  The blistering heat 
had soaked his golden body with sweat, and taken the fire from his 
eyes and the joy from his heart.
	That's when a small miracle happened.  "Husband, I know that 
there is not enough food to go around.  But there is someone that 
wants to join the pride.
	"Someone I know?"
	"No, not yet."
	"We have so little as it is.  Male or female?"
	"I don't know."
	"You talked to them, and you don't know?  Was it a cub or 
something?"
	"Or something," she said.  "I sensed the change in my body a 
few days ago, but today I'm sure.  Taka, you are very clever, but 
you haven't seen the light in my eyes?"
	"The light in your eyes?"  The hair on his back stood up.  
"You mean I'm going to be a father?"
	"Please don't be upset with me.  We'll have to stretch 
things a little, but we'll make it somehow."
	"Upset??"  Tears came to his eyes and he nuzzled her, 
fondling her ears and cheek with his large paw and kissing her.  
"I love you, Lannie.  My dear, precious girl.  Upset??  I'm 
delighted!  Oh gods, I'd almost forgotten there was beauty or 
laughter in the world.  Lannie, I will give you sons and 
daughters.  You will fill the world with beauty."
	She kissed away his tears.  "Go tell the world."
	He came running out to the end of the promontory of Pride 
Rock and shouted, "Listen, all of you!  Elanna is with child!"  He 
practically danced like a cub.  "I'm going to be a father!"
	Taka felt this small life would love him the way he loved 
Ahadi.  The rest of the Pride Lands be cursed, this small treasure 
of his beloved would be his, fully his, and he would worship it.  
Be it male or female, it would be heaven and earth for him, even 
God.  Surely there would be no unfairness in Taka's heart.  If he 
had twin sons, the kingdom would be divided upon his death.  Never 
would he inflict on his own the pain and suffering he felt.  And 
he decided something else as well, something dark and sinister.  
For the safety of his own, the day Elanna gave birth would be the 
day Rafiki died.  He gave explicit instructions on this to his 
hyena guard.  The curse would not live on in his children.
	There was no parade of lionesses coming to congratulate the 
happy pair.  Only a few hyenas came by to fawn on him, seeking to 
ingratiate themselves.  He despised this-it made the missing 
lionesses all the more obvious.
	Then came Fabana.  She squirmed with delight.  "I told you 
not to die, didn't I?  I told you that love would come, and it 
has."  She stood up on her hind legs and put her rough arms around 
Taka's mane and kissed him.  "I'm so happy!"
	Taka purred deeply, kissed her with his large tongue and 
stroked her gently with his large paw.  "I wondered when you'd 
come.  You're the first one I wanted to tell about little Fabana."
	"Little Fabana!"  She kissed him again.  "Aren't you the big 
sweetie!  Yes you are!"  He chuckled and rolled over like a big 
cub, batting at her lightly with his huge paw.
	The news struck a chord of dread in some of the lionesses.  
Isha and Uzuri went to Kako and took her aside.  There was one 
place near the cistern where a small damp cave blew cold air year 
round.  A nice place to escape the heat of summer, it was the 
doorway to a strange underground realm that was corban to 
creatures of the sunlit world.  Hyenas hated it because of the 
constant dampness, so there was not as much danger of being 
overheard.
	"That cub could be female," Isha said quietly.  "Then again 
it could be male.  If it was, I wouldn't give half a bleached 
zebra skull for Baba's life.  Scar will either kill him or send 
him off.  He's afraid of a good challenge.  Pfft, I almost wish I 
was a male-I'd show him a thing or two!"
	"He's only shown me kindness," Kako said.
	"True.  When it suits him, he can be a cute little kitten.  
But this kitten has claws, hon."
	Uzuri said, "Listen to her, Kako.  I've grown to think of 
you as my little sister.  I would bleed inside if your son died.  
Make no mistake, we want to protect you.  Your son is in grave 
danger."
	"I'll keep watch," Kako said.  "It's the only thing I can 
do.  I can't go home.  I really can't do that."
	"You are home," Isha said, nuzzling her.  "We are your 
family now."
	"I love you too," Kako said.  "Don't think I don't.  If you 
have a plan-any plan at all-you tell me.  Even if it's getting rid 
of-your problem."  She couldn't bear to say "killing the King," 
but it was understood.  "We will either live together or die 
separately."
	"Then it is settled," Uzuri said.  "We will all see what we 
can come up with.  May Aiheu give us the light."


SCENE:  SO LIKE HIS MOTHER


	Two and a half months after Elanna married Taka, she began 
having contractions.
	"Husband!"  
	Taka came running into the cave.  "What's wrong?"
	"I'm in pain.  Something is wrong!  Terribly wrong!"
	Just then he noticed the blood.  He is in a panic.  "You're 
not due for two weeks!"  Looking about helplessly, he shouts, 
"Midwives!  Come quick!"
	Sarafina and Isha come quickly.  They took one look at her, 
and they were grim.  "We need herbs.  Your Majesty, Rafiki has 
always helped with these things.  We really can't do much without 
him."
	Rafiki was under house arrest and couldn't find what he 
needed in time even if let out.  That does not stop Taka from 
sending for him.
	It took a long time for the mandrill to get to the cave.  
When Rafiki showed up, Taka bowed before him, closing his eyes 
tightly.  "No matter how you feel about me, you must save the 
child.  In whatever God's name you believe in, you must save the 
child!  "I'll do anything, anything!  You can go free.  I'll make 
sure you never have to work hard again!  Oh God, do you have a 
heart of stone??"
	Rafiki asked, "How long has she been in pain?"
	"About an hour."
	"An hour?"  He buried his face in his hands.  "Oh Lord, so 
little time, and so much I must do."
	"What do you need?  I'll send help with you.  Take Sarafina-
ride her back if you need to.  But hurry!"
	But does not even get to leave the cave before Isha, bearing 
a small dead male, goes past.  
	"Put him down!" Taka said.
	He looks at the tiny body.  "Rafiki, do something!  
Anything!  My son, my son!!"  
	Rafiki picked up the infant and hugged it.  Tears came to 
his eyes.  "So tiny.  So beautiful.  Such a waste."  Rafiki looks 
at Taka with some pity.  "His spirit is already with the gods.  It 
can not return."  
	Isha touched Taka with her tongue.  "Bayete."  She took the 
small dead cub with her.  
	Rafiki came to Taka and watched his soft, quiet sobs.  "Is 
there anything I can do?"
	"You are useless to me," Taka says to Rafiki.  "Go back to 
your tree."
	"I am not unmoved.  There is no great love between us, but I 
feel your pain.  Let me see if...."
	"Get out!"
	 Sarafina, with genuine pity, told Taka, "You will have no 
more heirs.  I'm sorry."
	"Yeah, right.  Now leave me.  All of you!"
	He has a short period of grief where he goes out on the 
promontory under the stars.  Calls to his father Ahadi.  "I wish I 
could believe!"  Sobs, "If there is a God, please help me!"  
Fabana creeps stealthily out onto the point and sits by him, 
resting her head on him.  She does not say a word--she does not 
have to.
	He roared.  The lionesses took it up.  There is no doubt 
what it meant.
	Still weak in the knees, Taka headed down Pride Rock and 
crept slowly to Kako's spot where he found her with her son.
	"It seems the Gods have spoken," Taka said.  "There will be 
no prince from my line."  His chin began to tremble.
	Kako quietly padded over and bussed his cheek.  "I'm so 
sorry.  You poor dear-I mean, Your Majesty."
	"Kako, you came to me from the gods.  Your goodness is one 
of the few things that can laugh at the curse that burns my 
blood."  He sighed, and with great effort said, "Mabatu is my 
Prince, and your future King."
	"You honor us, Bayete."
	He looked at Mabatu.  "Hello, sport."
	"Hello, Your Majesty."
	"You are a prince now.  You should call me by my name, or if 
you feel like it, you may call me...please call me....Dad.?"
	Mabatu came and sat next to him, burying his head in Taka's 
mane.  "I love you, Dad."
	"I love you too."  He kissed Baba.  "You're my last hope, 
son.  Go to sleep a little early tonight `cause tomorrow, I'm 
waking you at sunrise.  I have something I want to show you."
	"What?"
	"You'll see."


SCENE:  MAKING DO


	With food supplies dropping low, Shenzi was looking for ways 
to make things go further.  Among the hyenas, the punishment of 
eating last and taking what was left became more and more common.  
It seemed to the rank and file that the leaders of the clan were 
looking for excuses to reduce the number of mouths to feed, and 
they were right.
	The most effective punishments would of course be banishment 
and death.  Not that most hyenas were ready to turn on their 
compatriots at a whim.  But Amarakh, the beloved former Roh'mach, 
had a daughter Takyla that many felt should have been the next 
ruler rather than Shenzi.  This adolescent was the subject of 
constant harassment by Shenzi and her friends.  Her ouster on a 
charge of treason could consolidate Shenzi's hold on the clan and 
mean an extra bite or two for everyone at mealtime.  Everything 
Takyla did or said was reported by some of Shenzi's spies.  Shenzi 
called them "Guardians of the Clan Spirit," but everyone knew a 
spy when they saw one.
	Getting rid of a lion would have been much more effective 
even than offing a hyena.  But it would be highly unlikely to 
garner a strong complaint, much less any hard evidence.  The 
lionesses stuck together on almost everything with a singleness 
that was impenetrable by the Guardians of the Clan Spirit.  That 
left the male cubs.
	One male cub in particular posed a grave threat.  For since 
Mabatu had become Prince, Taka had regained some of his youthful 
bravado.  He began to look ahead more than a day or two at a time, 
taking charge and making difficult decisions he'd usually left to 
someone else.  It was becoming progressively harder to control 
Taka, and Shenzi was worried that Mabatu would take heart and 
become a strong leader when Taka died.
	And die he would.  Makhpil had clearly forseen that Taka 
would die young and violently.  It was a vague prophesy, but one 
that filled Shenzi with the urgency of the moment.  There was not 
much time to play the waiting game.
	To denounce Mabatu as a youth would almost certainly 
backfire.  Taka worshipped the cub and would almost certainly fly 
in the face of the gods themselves to protect him.  The thought, 
however slim, that Taka would rather give up his life than take 
another frightened Shenzi.  For their last hold over him would be 
gone.
	To kill Mabatu was one possible solution.  But Taka would 
not rest until the truth was out.  He would take no one's word for 
what had happened.  Even if someone volunteered to carry out the 
job, admit guilt, and die to achieve greatness in Roh'kash's clan, 
Taka would never believe they acted alone.  They would have to be 
more subtle.
	Weeks passed into months.  During that time, they did not 
manage to get rid of Takyla either, but they always had a couple 
of familiar faces missing at each meal from the strict discipline.
	Mabatu grew closer to Taka with each passing day.  With 
Makhpil's prophesy in the back of their minds, the hyenas began to 
worry that a weak leader would be replaced by the stronger one if 
they waited too long.  So when Mabatu was a year and a half old, 
and a few bits of ruff began to form around his neck, the leaders 
of the clan had a private meeting and decided at that point that 
Mabatu must go.
	But how to do it?  Certainly, Shimbekh must be involved.  
Fed information from Makhpil, she still made several correct 
predictions to Taka, enough to cover all the lies Shenzi wanted to 
sneak in.
	Relying on the old hyena proverb that a half truth is like a 
half carcass-it can be pulled twice as far-they decided on a lie 
that would soften the blow, but still strike home.
	Timid and unsteady, Shimbekh stood before Taka to deliver 
the news that may bring instant death.  "My Lord, evil tidings."
	"Oh?"  He involuntarily put his paw before his mouth.  
"Surely not!"
	"I don't know how to say this, my lord.  But there is an 
evil spirit in this place.  One too strong for our powers to drive 
off.  Unless Mabatu driven off early, the day after his mantlement 
he will go mad and kill his mother, then you."
	"What??"  Taka ran abruptly to within a few inches of her 
face.  "If you're lying to me, I'll rip you apart!"
	Regardless of her safety, she wept and kissed his cheek.  
"You love him, don't you."
	"Yes, I love him."
	"Then...."  She struggled for words.  "Send him away now 
while his heart is pure.  You know what it is like to suffer from 
the inside.  There is nowhere to hide."  Her voice began to trail 
off.  "No one knows what torment there is in the wounds we bear 
inside.  We try to smile when our heart is breaking."
	Mabatu was told two days in advance that he would get a 
commoner's mantlement so he could do his leave taking and make the 
appropriate spiritual preparations.  But he was not told why.  
Taka was clearly upset, and despite the obvious temptation, Mabatu 
showed him no hatred or resentment.  Taka also clearly loved him.
	Mabatu and Kako were both in a bit of a panic.  Baba was not 
ready yet-he had minimal hunting skills and he was still not what 
most lions consider mature.  Kako makes an impassioned plea for a 
little more time-that not waiting a moon or two would be just 
condemning him to death--but is turned down by Taka.  "He will 
learn.  It's Nature's way.  Besides, I will pray for him every 
night."

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